Crispr-engineered tropical maize with enhanced resilience to drought, salinity, and temperature stress
A CRISPR-based platform for engineering lipid metabolism genes in tropical maize to improve membrane stability and stress tolerance. Targets homologs of Arabidopsis stress genes (ACBP2, PGD1, SFR2) to deliver non-GMO maize lines with better performance under drought, high salinity, and freezing conditions.
Overview
This project applies CRISPR genome editing to tropical maize to strengthen resilience against drought, high salinity, and extreme temperatures. The approach targets key genes involved in lipid metabolism and membrane stability, drawing on validated stress-tolerance pathways identified in model plants such as Arabidopsis. The result is a new generation of tropical maize lines capable of maintaining cellular integrity and photosynthetic function under challenging environmental conditions, supporting more reliable yields for growers in tropical and subtropical regions.
Technical specifications
- Gene targets: Homologs of SFR2 (freezing tolerance), ACBP2 (drought response), and PGD1 (high-salinity response), all linked to lipid remodeling and membrane protection.
- Editing approach: Novel CRISPR methods to knock out or upregulate expression of stress-related genes, leveraging an established tropical maize transformation system developed in collaboration with Iowa State University plant breeding programs.
- Trait focus: Enhanced membrane stability, chloroplast preservation, and lipid droplet regulation during environmental stress.
- Output: Non-GMO tropical maize lines with improved tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses, suitable for further breeding and field evaluation.
Technology readiness level
The platform builds on an existing, rapid tropical maize transformation pipeline already validated through NSF-funded photoperiod research. Current efforts are focused on applying this toolkit to stress-tolerance gene targets, with subsequent validation planned through controlled stress assays and field trials to confirm performance under drought, salinity, and freezing conditions.
About University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is the state’s flagship public research university, combining a comprehensive academic portfolio with a strong applied research culture. Industry engages through coastal and island field stations, engineering and test facilities, and an integrated medical school that partners with hospitals across Hawaiʻi to enable clinical translation. A dedicated research corporation and experienced sponsored programs staff streamline contracting, compliance, and rapid onboarding for complex, multi‑partner projects. Proximity to major Pacific defense commands, maritime ports, and trans‑Pacific air routes provides geographic advantages for prototyping and deployment. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from NSF, NIH, NOAA, NASA, and the Department of Defense, and a technology transfer office advances IP, licensing, and startup formation.
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